increased by 1,800 to 10,034,500. Full-time employment increased by 30,500 to 7,177,300 while part-time employment decreased by 28,700 to 2,857,200.

UNEMPLOYMENT

increased by 10,900 to 556,800. The number of persons looking for full-time work increased by 13,300 to 396,200 while the number of persons looking for part-time work decreased by 2,300 to 160,600.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

increased by 0.1 percentage point to 5.3%. The male unemployment rate increased by 0.1 percentage point to 5.2% and the female unemployment rate increased by 0.1 percentage point to 5.4%.

PARTICIPATION RATE

remained at 64.4%.

NOTES

FORTHCOMING ISSUES

ISSUE

Release Date

February 2006

9 March 2006

March 2006

6 April 2006

April 2006

11 May 2006

May 2006

8 June 2006

June 2006

13 July 2006

July 2006

10 August 2006

ROUNDING

Estimates of monthly change shown on the front cover have been calculated using unrounded estimates, and may be different from, but are more accurate than, movements obtained from the rounded estimates. The graphs on the front cover also depict unrounded estimates.

SAMPLING ERRORS

The estimates in this publication are based on a sample survey. Because the entire population is not enumerated, the published estimates and the movements derived from them are subject to sampling variability. Standard errors give a measure of this variability and appear on pages 27 and 28.

The 95% confidence intervals below provide another way of looking at the variability inherent in estimates from sample surveys. The interval bounded by the two limits is the 95% confidence interval. A 95% confidence interval has a 95% chance of including the true value of the estimate.

Movements in seasonally adjusted series between December 2005 and January 2006

Monthly change

95% Confidence interval

Total Employment

1 800

-50 200

to

53 800

Total Unemployment

10 900

-19 100

to

40 900

Unemployment rate

0.1 pts

-0.1 pts

to

0.3 pts

Participation rate

0.0 pts

-0.4 pts

to

0.4 pts

INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Rebecca Cash on Canberra (02) 6252 6525.

PRINCIPAL LABOUR FORCE SERIES TREND ESTIMATES

EMPLOYED PERSONS

The trend estimate of employed persons rose from 8,342,600 in January 1996 to 9,056,100 in September 2000. The trend then fell slightly to 9,035,000 in January 2001, before rising to stand at 10,031,500 in August 2005. The trend has fallen slightly since then to stand at 10,027,400 in January 2006.

UNEMPLOYED PERSONS

The trend estimate of unemployed persons rose from 738,700 in January 1996 to 771,700 in February 1997. The trend then generally fell to 583,600 in September 2000, before rising to 685,400 in October 2001. The trend then fell to 533,000 in July 2005, before rising to stand at 550,800 in January 2006.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

The trend unemployment rate rose from 8.1% in January 1996 to 8.4% in February 1997, before falling to 6.1% in September 2000. After rising to 7.0% in October 2001, the trend fell to 5.0% in July 2005. The trend has since risen slightly to stand at 5.2% in January 2006.

EMPLOYED PERSONS TREND ESTIMATES

MALES EMPLOYED FULL TIME

TOTAL

The trend estimate of males employed full time fell from 4,211,100 in January 1996 to 4,198,700 in May 1997, before generally rising to 4,400,200 in August 2000. The trend then fell to 4,334,500 in June 2001, before generally rising to stand at 4,712,700 in January 2006.

MALES AGED 15-19 YEARS

The trend estimate of males aged 15 to 19 years employed full time decreased from 154,100 in January 1996 to 141,100 in June 1997. The trend fluctuated for the next three years, then fell to a low of 135,600 in February 2001 before rising to 155,100 in December 2003. After falling to 148,000 in July 2004, the trend rose to 165,100 in April 2005. Since then the trend has fallen to stand at 151,200 in January 2006.

MALES AGED 20 YEARS AND OVER

The trend estimate of males aged 20 years and over employed full time rose gradually from 4,057,100 in January 1996 to 4,255,300 in August 2000. After falling to 4,191,200 in July 2001, the trend has generally risen to stand at 4,561,500 in January 2006.

FEMALES EMPLOYED FULL TIME

TOTAL

The trend estimate of females employed full time rose from 2,067,000 in January 1996 to 2,266,900 in March 2001. The trend then decreased to 2,215,600 in January 2002, before generally rising to stand at 2,438,000 in January 2006.

FEMALES AGED 15-19 YEARS

The trend estimate of females aged 15 to 19 years employed full time generally fell from 86,000 in January 1996, to a low of 74,000 in August 1998. The trend then rose to 89,100 in February 2001, before falling to 76,700 in April 2002. The trend then generally increased to 89,300 in November 2004, before falling to stand at 81,800 in January 2006.

FEMALES AGED 20 YEARS AND OVER

The trend estimate of females aged 20 years and over employed full time generally rose from 1,981,000 in January 1996 to 2,178,100 in March 2001. After falling to 2,135,200 in December 2001, the trend has generally risen to stand at 2,356,200 in January 2006.

Unless otherwise noted, content on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Australia Licence together with any terms, conditions and exclusions as set out in the website Copyright notice. For permission to do anything beyond the scope of this licence and copyright terms contact us.